Background

The project idea emerged from the Jharkhand Chapter of AID who have been working with the Watershed management project for seven years.  The project was launched in November 2000 and has completed services to various villages in the Jharkhand State.  As each installation is completed so one is commenced in another village.

The main programme involves :

• Constitution of local committees for the execution of drinking water installation.

• Construction of drinking water wells.

• Community maintenance of wells

• Health education particularly relating to water.

The main achievements were :

• This year 51 drinking water wells were dug through the auspices of village Gram Shabas (village councils) by mobilising local government resources providing water to 4075 tribal and untouchable families.

• 47 unused wells were repaired and 26 irrigation structures were renovated through the support of village panchayats.

• 24 Ahars (water storage structures) were repaired to increase storage and augment the supply of water to the farmers.

• The project used the services to demand their right to water and irrigation sources from the government to the adjacent villagers.

• The project incorporated a sanitation component as part of the provision of drinking water to protect the water sources and to promote sanitation among them.

Objectives

The overall objective is to provide drinking water to all deprived and excluded communities with an emphasis on the immediate objective of meeting the drinking needs of the poor.